Home to school transport

Contents

We provide free home to school transport for East Lothian pupils who live more than two miles away from their catchment primary or secondary school.

Open configuration options

The child or young person's home address is defined as the main contact's address registered with their school.  This address is where the child lives permanently or for the majority of their time; this is usually the address in receipt of Child Benefit. It is not within the council's remit to determine which address is the child's main address but there must be a clearly established main address in all cases.

Transport, if eligible, will be granted to and from one address only.  Transport will not be granted to more than one address whether this is the address of a parent, childminder or other relative.

Free school transport is not available if the child or young person is attending a non-catchment school (including a specialist provision) as a result of a Placing Request made by a parent, or the child or young person. 

How to apply

Parents must apply for home to school transport through their school office. Applications will be reviewed by Transport Services based on the eligibility criteria.

During school holidays, contact the Home To School Transport team at hometoschool@eastlothian.gov.uk for advice.

Eligibility for transport assistance will be reviewed annually. Parents must report any changes in circumstances that might affect eligibility.

Conduct and behaviour

All children and young people using home to school transport are expected to demonstrate their school values and behave as they would were they in school. 

This includes:

  • behave respectfully to drivers, fellow passengers and staff
  • wear a seatbelt if there is one
  • have consideration for the vehicle - don't litter or vandalise it
  • stay in your seat when the vehicle is moving
  • do what the driver and staff ask you to do

Unacceptable conduct on school transport will be reported to Transport Services who will liaise with schools. Schools will involve parents in the process at an early stage and warnings and/or sanctions will be based on the severity of the incident.

Smartcards

Since August 2024 secondary school pupils use their Young Person's Under 22 free bus travel pass, either via their Young Scot card or their National Entitlement Card, for home to school transport on public buses. It's important each pupil has a valid card with an up-to-date photo.

To order a new/replacement card or to update your photo

Visit https://getyournec.scot/nec or contact your school office or local library for support.

Some families may feel their young person is not ready to have the freedoms of national free travel.

If this is the case, contact our home to school transport team on hometoschool@eastlothian.gov.uk before school returns, or your school office in term time, and ask for the card to be programmed with only the Council home to school transport programme. This means your child will still have access to their funded home to school transport, but not the wider national bus network.

It is essential you make sure your young person's travel card is valid and active before August 2026.

It is a parent/carer responsibility to ensure their young person can access free home to school travel on public transport.

Please note: this only applies if your child travels to school using public transport. If they are on a contracted home to school bus service, they will continue to receive a pass for travel.

Smartcards are in use on the following routes:

Musselburgh Grammar School
Whitecraig pupils travelling to Musselburgh Grammar 

 

S4 to S6
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Whitecraig Crescent 8:02am 111 Prentice Coaches

 

Wallyford Pupils travelling to Musselburgh Grammar 
S1, S2, S3 and S6
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Wallyford Terminus 7:49am 44 Lothian Buses
S4 and S5
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Wallyford Terminus 8:00am 44 Lothian Buses

 

Preston Lodge High School

Longniddry and Seton Mains pupils travelling to Preston Lodge - All Seton Mains pupils must use bus service 128.
Longniddry pupils S1 to S3 and all pupils from Seton Mains and St Germain's
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Longniddry - Seton Mains 8:03am 128  East Coast Buses
Longniddry Rail Station 8:08am
Longniddry pupils S4 to S6 
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Longniddry Rail Station 8:05am 124 East Coast Buses
Cunningham Court 8:07am

 

Port Seton and Cockenzie S6 pupils travelling to Preston Lodge

Cockenzie and Port Seton pupils S6
Pick up point 
Time
Service
Contractor
Port Seton - Fishers Road 7:58am 26 Lothian Buses
Port Seton - School Lane 8:00am

 

Blindwells pupils travelling to Preston Lodge

All pupils
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Blindwells 7:59am 128  East Coast Buses

 

Ross High School

Elphinstone pupils travelling to Ross High School

All pupils
      
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Elphinstone - Duries Park 8:10am 110 Prentice Coaches

 

Macmerry pupils travelling to Ross High School 

S1 to S4
Pick up point 
Time
Service
Contractor
Macmerry 8:04am 106 East Coast Buses
S5 and S6
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Macmerry 8:00am 108 Prentice Coaches

Pencaitland and Ormiston pupils travelling to Ross High School

S4 and S5 pupils only
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Pencaitland 7:54am 113 East Coast Busses
Ormiston - Ormiston Cross 8:09am

 

North Berwick High School

Gullane pupils travelling to North Berwick High School only 

S4 to S6
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Gullane, Goose Green 7:53am 124 East Coast Buses
S1 to S3
Pick up point 
Time
Service
Contractor
Gullane, Goose Green 7:57am 125 East Coast Buses

Ballencrief, Drem, West Fenton and Dirleton pupils travelling to North Berwick High School 

All pupils
 Pick up point 
Time
Service
Contractor
Longniddry Station 7:38am 127 East Coast Buses
Drem Station 7:47am
Fenton Barns 7:50am
Dirleton Castle 8:05am

 

Kilduff and Athelstaneford pupils travelling to North Berwick High School

 

All pupils
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Kilduff 7:31am 121 East Coast (separate coach)
Athelstaneford 7:33am
Prora 7:40am
Drem 7:43am
Fenton Barns 7:47am
Kingston 7:50am
Highfield 7:51am

 

Aberlady pupils travelling to North Berwick High School only

All pupils
Pick up point
Time
Service
Contractor
Aberlady, The Pleasance 7:48am 126 East Coast Buses**
Aberlady, Poplar House 7:50am

** due to capacity on service 126, S5-S6 pupils are asked to use service X5 for return journey

Pupils are assigned to the same route for their return journey, unless otherwise stated.

Home to School Transport Policy

Read the Home to School Transport Policy

Mainstream transport between home and school

To use a home to school contracted route you need a valid pass for travel issued by East Lothian Council (show and go card).

Transport services

East Lothian Council, Penston House, Macmerry Industrial Estate, EH33 1EX

Email: hometoschool@eastlothian.gov.uk